


Rumoured Payments

by writeitininkorinblood



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Griddy's, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-18 19:30:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18125513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writeitininkorinblood/pseuds/writeitininkorinblood
Summary: What's childhood if you don't sneak out and eat doughnuts with your siblings once in a while?





	Rumoured Payments

**Author's Note:**

> Five said they used to sneak out and eat doughnuts....

The first time they went to Griddy’s, sneaking out on a night their father was away and Grace was recharging, Allison promised she could front their doughnut indulgences. Since Reginald Hargreeves didn’t believe in candy and treats, the last time any of them had had a doughnut was their last birthday. This trip would be the result of ten months of cravings for something sweet and they were all more than happy to trust their sister if it meant both a trip away from the house and a sugar high.

Getting all seven of them, since Five had insisted on bringing Vanya, out of the Academy and down to the shop was a military operation. Leaving the house was one thing, but avoiding the attention of anyone who was likely to call in a band of children roaming the streets was another matter entirely. They’d left behind the Academy uniforms, vowing to meet up in Allison’s room wearing the most incognito clothing they could find. Everyone had managed to pull together something black so they could at least attempt to be stealthy about it. Even if Klaus’ understanding of the word ‘incognito’ meant wearing a black feather boa no one knew where he’d found, and one of Allison’s skirts. No one had the heart to make him change when they were all so excited about the prospect of freedom.

Herding each other like a gang of wild cats, they eventually stumbled, giddy and giggling, into the doughnut-scented diner. The lady at the till was surprised to see so many children in her business unchaperoned, but they seemed to be beyond questioning as they crowded around a table and poured over the menu. They didn’t appear to be lost, weren’t hurting anyone and were the only customers in the store, so she didn’t mind indulging them.

They started off with one doughnut each and a round of the most extravagant hot chocolates the establishment could produce – mountains of whipped cream, marshmallows and chocolate shavings. And then there was a second helping of doughnuts, followed closely by a third. Within an hour all seven of them were groaning from how much they’d eaten and well aware of the fact they had to get home before Pogo or Grace noticed their absence and reported it to their father.

When the bill was brought over, everyone turned to Allison. They didn’t get pocket money, didn’t have relatives to send them birthday cheques, and their work for the city apparently didn’t count as paid employment (not that Diego hadn’t asked), but she’d been resolute about being able to pay. Instead of handing over money, she put on a sweet smile.

“I heard a rumour that we’d paid for this already,” she said, saccharine and innocent.

Five kicked her under the table and, once the server had apologised for forgetting and promised to bring them over a box of complimentary doughnuts for the road, Allison turned to scowl at him.

“That’s a strange way of saying thank you,” she hissed.

All of her siblings were staring at her, mostly shocked and a little angry. Luther was disappointed. Klaus looked intrigued.

“I thought you said you had money?” Diego asked, supressing his stammer even in his surprise.  
“No, I said I had a way to pay,’ Allison corrected, crossing her arms and feeling rather proud of herself. It wasn’t her fault they didn’t get to be normal kids – they had to get a little creative now and then.  
“That’s not paying, that’s stealing,” Vanya mumbled, unsure if this was how her siblings usually used their powers. If it was she was rather glad she didn’t have an ability of her own.

“Well it was this or no trip out,” Allison huffed, climbing to her feet and storming out of the shop.

There was a shared look around that the table that said more than a conversation ever could. When you ate your meals with Reginald Hargreeves, you got used to saying a lot with just the quirk of an eyebrow. They came to the agreement that they had to follow her, because they might all have powers but that didn’t mean it was wise to be out alone. They hadn’t really hurt anyone by not paying for doughnuts that probably weren’t going to get bought by anyone else before fresh ones were put out in the morning, and they _had_ been defending the city without accepting any reward – what were a few baked goods in exchange for saving lives? Silently, they all got up to follow their sister.

As they were leaving, the waitress called after them, rushing over to press a box of pastries into Ben’s hands.

“Take these, they’ll go to waste otherwise. And get home safe. You’re good kids,” she cooed, waving them out the door.

Ben couldn’t help but laugh – she had no idea.


End file.
